1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a carrier tape for bonding IC devices and a method of using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a carrier tape for carrying IC devices is known. This carrier tape has sprocket holes formed at predetermined intervals along the longitudinal direction in both side edge portions.
The carrier tape is conveyed by a sprocket having feed teeth to be meshed with the sprocket holes. Each IC device is mounted in an IC device hole formed in a central portion of the carrier tape by a TAB (Tape Automated Bonding) system. A conventional carrier tape is conveyed from first to final steps with the sprocket holes being meshed with the feed teeth of the sprocket.
Bonding of an IC device onto the carrier tape requires a good number of manufacturing steps. The carrier tape is conveyed by using its sprocket holes in each step. For this reason, if the same sprocket holes are used from the first to final steps as in the case of the conventional carrier tape, the sprocket holes deform as the manufacture advances. As a result, necessary positioning precision cannot be obtained in an IC device bonding step which requires highest positioning precision.